Alum Recognized for Success in Elementary Education

July 19, 2013

Andrea LaMotte '00 lives with her husband, Steve '01, and daughters Abbie and Chloe in Delaware.

Asbury University graduate Andrea Logan ’00 LaMotte is a teacher, and a good one — she was chosen as District Teacher of the year for the Caesar Rodney School District in Delaware for 2012-13. Her excellence in the classroom, however, is rooted in a calling that was clarified as a student on campus and on the mission field in India and Nepal.

Though interested in education as a freshman, LaMotte majored in social work with an emphasis on missions to heed a spiritual nudge to serve those who are unable to speak for themselves. A nearly six-month mission trip to India and Nepal with the non-profit organization Word Made Flesh during her time at Asbury was a powerful confirmation of the call.

“This was a life-changing experience for me,” LaMotte said. “God opened my eyes to how the rest of the world lives and how blessed I am to live in America. In addition, God furthered my calling to serve those who need a voice.”

After graduation, she spent a few years working at a YMCA and daycare, running their school-age childcare programs and summer camps. She returned to school to earn a master’s in education, and once she received her license in Elementary Education and Special Education, she took a teaching position working with students with moderate to severe disabilities.

“It is in this field that I have become passionate for these students and see my time with them very much as a ministry,” she said. “The seeds for this passion were planted during my time at Asbury. Asbury helped me to see my work as a professional as being God's work. Each day I get to love on, encourage, build up, and pray for students with disabilities and their families.

“I love the challenge of adapting curriculum and developing lessons that meet the diverse needs of my students. Also, there is never a dull moment in my classroom. I love the spontaneity and excitement that each of my students brings to the classroom every day. It is a blessing to watch my students learn and become independent adults.”